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050 Library of Congress Call Number (R)


Input Standards
Required if applicable/Optional
1st Indicator Existence in LC collection
	No information provided
0	Item is in LC
1	Item is not in LC
2nd Indicator Source of call number
	No information provided
0	Assigned by LC
4	Assigned by agency other than LC
Subfields (R=Repeatable NR=Nonrepeatable)		Input Standards
‡a	Classification number (R)	Mandatory/Mandatory
‡b	Item number (NR)	Required if applicable/Required if applicable
‡d	Supplementary class number (R)	Obsolete. Do not use/Obsolete. Do not use
‡3	Materials specified (NR)	Optional/Optional

Definition

The LC call number and/or class number.

Use field 090 or field 050 with first indicator value blank or 1 and second indicator value 4 (e.g., 050 14 LB890 ‡b .B52 1978) for LC call numbers assigned by agencies other than LC.

Use field 055, field 060, or field 070 for call numbers based on LC classification schedules and assigned by the Library and Archives Canada, the National Library of Medicine, or the National Agricultural Library. Use field 099 for classification numbers that are local modifications of LC class numbers.

If cataloging copy has a classification number following the name of any other contributing institution, do not enter the classification number in field 050.

See "Map and atlas call numbers" below for information on entering and printing map and atlas call numbers.

If you are transcribing LC copy, enter LC call numbers in field 050. However, LC does not classify some types of material. LC copy for unclassified material may have the word LAW or the phrase NOT IN LC. If you are transcribing such copy, do not include this word or phrase in field 050. You may enter a locally assigned call number in field 090 or field 050 with first indicator value blank or 1 and second indicator value 4.

If you assign a Library of Congress classification number according to the LC class schedules, use field 090 or field 050 with first indicator value blank or 1 and second indicator value 4. If the classification portion of your number does not conform to the LC class schedules, use field 099.

Guidelines

Microform shelf numbers

Prior to 1981, LC used a single-record technique to indicate the microform replacement of an original item for preservation. Such records contain both the call number of the original and the microform shelf number of the replacement.

Pre-1981 replacement shelf numbers include a term that designates the type of microform (e.g., "Microfilm") and a number of one-to-five digits. The number may also include additional words, notations (e.g., "reel 1, no. 3"), and, usually, a class letter or letters from the LC classification system. Enter such shelf numbers in subfield ‡a. Enter a space between each element.

050	0	0	Microfilm 19072 E
050	0	0	Microfilm 8124 reel 1, no. 6 E
050	0	0	Microfilm Slavic 6699 TP

Enter the call number of the original in the first field 050. Use 1st indicator value blank or 1 and 2nd indicator value 0 . Enter the microform shelf number in the second 050 field, 1st and 2nd indicator value 0 .

050	1	0	BJ1533.C4 ‡b C49
050	0	0	Microfilm 28350 BJ

University Microfilms dissertations, 1940–1961. From 1940 to 1961, dissertations from University Microfilms in the National Union Catalog had the following style of call number:

Microfilm AC-1 no. 20,889

If you are transcribing such copy, enter the call number in subfield ‡a with spaces between each element.

050

0

Microfilm AC-1 no. 20,889

REC shelf numbers

In LC-created records, sound recordings have two 050 fields. The first has a suggested class number and 1st indicator value blank or 1 because sound recordings are not shelved by class number at LC. The second 050 field has custodial information and 1st indicator value 0 .

Serial shelf numbers

If some issues of the serial have appeared in one or more series over a period of time, each with a different call number, the field is repeated for each call number involved.

Other shelf numbers.

Enter Newspaper in subfield ‡a ( USNP use only):

050	0	0	Newspaper
050	0	0	Newspaper 7225-X

Do not enter IN PROCESS or minimal-level cataloging numbers (e.g., MLCM 81/3002 (B), WMLC L82/1234) in subfield ‡a.

Entering call numbers in 050 and 090

Fields 050 and 090 print for institutions profiled for LC or NLM call numbers. The print program recognizes and parses LC call numbers in terms of predefined elements. The print program parses the first 7 elements. An eighth element prints on a new line. Subsequent elements are free format. The following table lists the first 10 predefined elements ( a = alpha, n = numeric, x = alpha or numeric character).

The definitions of these elements remain constant, even if a call number lacks an element. For example, the first Cutter number is element 5 even if the call number has no date preceding the first Cutter number.

1	Alphabetic portion of class number ( aaa)	DR	M	JX	PS	HF	KF	Q
2	Whole number portion of class number ( nnnn)	340	211	33	3523	5414	4558	11
3	Decimal number portion of class number ( .nnn)	.3				.13
4	Date or other number ( nnnn or nxxx)						15th
5	Decimal point and first Cutter number ( .annn)	.N4	.J476	.A5	.O46	.R73	.G6	.P6
6	Date or other number following first Cutter number ( nnnn or nxxx)			1968		1978
7	Second Cutter number ( annn)	A313		I31	A12
8	8th element of call number	1969	K.258					n.s.
9	9th element of call number		E8					vol. 55
10	10th element of call number. Any succeeding elements of call numbers		1970					pt. 5

Entering call numbers

Use the following guidelines to enter LC call numbers in field 050 and field 090:

Enter one space before a delimiter, after a subfield code, and before a date or volume number. Do not enter any other spaces, except as described in the these guidelines.
Enter alphabetic and numeric portions of the class number (elements 1, 2 and 3) in subfield ‡a. Do not enter intervening spaces.

050 F2161 ‡b .B63

050 DD259.4 ‡b .B527 1973
Enter one space before a date or other number following the class number (element 4) in subfield ‡a.

050 DK274.3 1968 ‡b .K39

050 KF4558 15th ‡b .G6 1974

050 BX830 1962.A45 ‡b P792 1972
If the date or other number is part of the classification number (element 4) and there is no following information, enter the date in the subfield ‡b.

050 ES275 ‡b 1962

050 ES525.5 ‡b 105th
If the call number has only one Cutter number, enter the decimal point and Cutter number (element 5) in subfield ‡b.

050 JX1947.7 ‡b .M5

050 DD259.4 ‡b .B527 1973

050 DK274.3 1968 ‡b .K39

050 KF4558 15th ‡b .G6 1974

050 JX1977 ‡b .A2 ST/SOA/40

050 VM341 ‡b .M9 vol. 48
However, if the call number begins with CS71, enter the Cutter number in subfield ‡a and the date in subfield ‡b.

050 CS71.S889 ‡b 1968
If the call number has two Cutter numbers, enter the first (element 5) in subfield ‡a and the second (element 7) in subfield ‡b.

050 PQ4734.V5 ‡b Z59

050 VA65.B54 ‡b B52 1972

050 Z673.L7 ‡b You

050 HF5549.5.R44 ‡b M35

050 BX830 1962.A45 ‡b P792 1972
If a date intervenes between two Cutter numbers, enter a decimal point before both Cutter numbers.

050 JX233.A5 1968 ‡b .B3
To print a decimal point before the second Cutter enter the first Cutter number, the intervening date, and the second Cutter number in subfield ‡b. The decimal point preceding the second Cutter number does not print if the second Cutter number is the first element in subfield ‡b.

050 JX233 ‡b .A5 1968 .B3
Enter one space after the second Cutter (element 7).

050 VA65.B54 ‡b B52 1972

050 BX830 1962.A45 ‡b P792 1972
Treat the term subser or Suppl. as part of the item number. Enter a space between the term and the item number. If the call number has no item number, enter subser or Suppl. in subfield ‡b. Enter subser with lowercase letters. Use an uppercase S in Suppl.
Enter a comma and a space after element 8 and each succeeding element to indicate a line break. The comma does not print. It indicates that a new line should begin.
Characters to print on one line must not exceed the margin size, which is two characters fewer than the first indention. If the first indention is 10, the maximum number of characters per line is 8.

050 JK1369.43 ‡b .P65 1974 n.s., v.2

050 Q11 ‡b .P6 n.s. vol. 55 pt. 5

050 DT333 ‡b .S34 47. Jahrg.Heft Nr. 8

050 AS182 ‡b .H44 1967 Abh.1, T.3
Multiple call numbers.
Certain classification choices are recognized to be local decisions. For example, if one user has chosen to class together a monographic series and another library classes it separately, multiple call numbers in the master record may be appropriate. Multiple call numbers are allowed in these circumstances:
- Classed together number vs. classed separately number for monographic series
- Literature number vs. PZ number for fiction
- Bibliography number vs. subject number
- LC minimal number vs. member call number
- Geographic classification number vs. subject classification number for maps and atlases
- LAW number vs. actual K class number

1st Indicator

Existence in LC collection. Whether the item is in LC's collections.

	No information provided

0	Item is in LC. From LC copy only.

1

Item is not in LC

Note: Transcribing LC copy. If you are transcribing LC copy, assume that the item is held by LC and use indicator 0. If one of the following conditions exists, assume the item is not held by LC, follow the suggested practice, and use indicator blank or 1:

If the call number is enclosed in brackets, [HF314.V52U54], do not enter the brackets.

050

1

HF314.V52 ‡b U54

If the call number is preceded by a Maltese cross ( ) and is enclosed in parentheses ( DA112.G82) do not enter the parentheses or the Maltese cross.

050

1

DA112 ‡b .G82

If a class number alone is enclosed in brackets [QL336], do not enter the brackets.

050

1

QL336

2nd Indicator

Source of call number. The source of the classification/call number.

	No information provided

0	Assigned by LC. From LC copy only.

4

Assigned by agency other than LC

Note: Transcribing LC copy. LC prints alternative class numbers in brackets below the complete call number. If you are transcribing such copy, enter each alternative class number in separate subfield ‡a's following the item number (subfield ‡b) of the complete call number. Do not enter the brackets.

Call number	Enter
PZ3.S6737 Las [PR5037.N58]	050 00 PZ3.S6737 ‡b Las ‡a PR5037.N58
M2.R2384 [M5] [M11] [M140] [M178]	050 00 M2 ‡b .R2384 ‡a M5 ‡a M11 ‡a M140 ‡a M178

If you use such a call number for card production, only the complete call number (first subfield ‡a and subfield ‡b) prints.

If you prefer the alternative class number, enter the class number and an item number in field 090. Or, delete the unwanted call number from field 050 and add an item number to the alternative class number.

Subfields

‡a Classification number

The class number portion of the call number.

‡b Item number

The item number portion of the call number.

‡d Supplementary class number

Obsolete. Do not use.

‡3 Materials specified

A subset of the described material. Determine placement according to use.

Printing

The print program parses elements 1–7, identifying elements and determining where to print them in relation to preceding and following elements (e.g., on the same line or on a new line). Your profile determines line breaks and the printing of decimal points before Cutter numbers.

If an eighth element is present, the print program prints it on a new line. Subsequent elements are free-format elements. The print program does not format these elements for printing. You must enter a comma and a space in the field to indicate each line break. The comma does not print. It shows where a new line should begin. Use the following examples as guidelines:

Displayed in record	Prints as
Q11 ‡b .P6 n.s., vol.55, pt.5	Q 11 .P6 n.s. vol. 55 pt. 5
HV71 ‡b .P5 v.5,7,9	HV 71 .P5 v.5,7,9
HV71 ‡b .P5 v.5,7,9	HV 71 .P5 v.5 7 9

If one or more lowercase letters follow either the first or second Cutter number or final date, with no intervening space, the letters print on the same line. Use the following examples as guidelines:

Displayed in record	Prints as
QA74.L7 ‡b B22a	QA 74 .L7 B22a
QA74.L7 ‡b B22a 1974	QA 74 .L7 B22a 1974
QA74.L7 ‡b B22 1974x	QA 74 .L7 B22 1974x
LA222 ‡b .B87a	LA 222 .B87a
LA222 ‡b .B87a 1974	LA 222 .B87a 1974
LA631 ‡b .G66ab	LA 631 .G66ab

If the second Cutter number is a single letter, the print program recognizes that letter as a Cutter number and prints it on a new line. Enter the call number with the subfield ‡b between the two Cutters.

Displayed in record	Prints as
PZ3.S18 ‡b V	PZ3 .S18 V

If the print program cannot automatically format a call number correctly or if a call number does not fit the pattern of 1–7 elements plus free-format elements, enter all elements as free-format elements. Use a comma-space to designate line breaks for each element in subfield ‡b. Do not enter a decimal before the first element in subfield ‡b. Use the following examples as guidelines:

Displayed in record	Prints as
LA222 ‡b B87a 1974	LA 222 B87a 1974
LA222.B87 ‡b 1969-70, vol. 1-2	LA 222 .B87 1969-70 vol. 1-2
GV182.2 ‡b U58No, 1946	GV 182.2 U58No 1946
M1012.S357 ‡b Op.42 C57 1957 or M1012 ‡b .S357 Op.42 C57 1957	M 1012 .S357 Op.42 C57 1957
M7405.J476 ‡b K.258, .E8,1970 or M7405 ‡b .J476 K.258, .E8, 1970	M 7405 .J476 K.258 .E8 1970
TH16.T15 ‡b E6 A5, 1974 or TH16.T15E6 ‡b A5, 1974	TH 16 .T15 E6 A5 1974
LA222 ‡b B87a, 1974	LA 222 B87a 1974
M211.M94 ‡b K.213, .H5 or M211 ‡b .M94 K.213, .H5	M 211 .M94 K.213 .H5

See field 090 (Locally Assigned LC-type Call Number) for more information.

Printing problems

If the call number has second or subsequent lines that exceed your profiled margin size (two characters fewer than the first indention), the print program produces unit ( zc) cards.

Furthermore, the print program cannot format certain LC call numbers for printing. If you are having printing problems, check the following characteristics of the numbers you are entering:

The call number field lacks a Cutter number (i.e., no elements follow the class letters and class numbers).
A nonalphabetic or nonnumeric character (e.g., *) is the first character in an element.
The call number has unusual punctuation or unusual combinations of numeric and alphabetic characters.

Printing nine or more characters

To produce cards for call numbers that have nine or more characters (e.g., translations), shorten the number. If your shelf arrangement does not require a specific item number, enter one space or a comma-space to break the item number into two lines. If your shelf arrangement requires a specific item number, use field 099.

LC copy number	Edited number	Prints as
BF431 ‡b .P4827713	BF431 ‡b .P482 7713	BF 431 .P482 7713

Printing unusual numbers

The following examples cause unit ( zc) cards or are formatted incorrectly on cards. Use field 099 to produce cards with such call numbers.

E116.2 ‡b .E 1893

E525.5 ‡b .103th

HF5414.13

HJ86E ‡b .Z285

LD4191.07 ‡b T38

QC721 ‡b .B

Z115Z.M45 ‡b V7

Map and atlas call numbers

Use the following guidelines to enter and print LC map and atlas call numbers in field 050 and field 090:

Maps. LC places the item Cutter in subfield ‡b . The item Cutter is always the final element in an LC map call number.

Atlases. LC places the item Cutter in subfield ‡b . However this is not the final element. The item Cutter is always followed by the date of publication of the atlas.

You should follow LC practice when entering map and atlas call numbers. However you must edit some map and atlas call numbers to print them correctly. The following examples of hypothetical map and atlas call numbers show how to enter the call number in field 050 or field 090 and how to edit the field for card production. (Alternatively you may repeat the call number in field 099 for card production.)

Entered as	Edit for card production	Prints as
G3804.N4 year ‡b .F4	G3804.N4 ‡b year .F4 or G3804.N4 ‡b year, .F4	G 3804 .N4 year .F4
G3804.N4 1974 ‡b .F4	G3804 ‡b .N4 1974 .F4	G 3804 .N4 1974 .F4
G3804.N4 s20 ‡b .F4	G3804.N4 ‡b s20,.F4	G 3804 .N4 s20 .F4
G3804.N4 svar ‡b .F4	G3804.N4 ‡b svar .F4 or G3804.N4 ‡b svar, .F4	G 3804 .N4 svar .F4
G3804.N4P2 1974 ‡b .F4	G3804.N4 ‡b .P2 1974, .F4	G 3804 .N4 P2 1974 .F4
G3828.A4E4 1962 ‡b .T5	G3828.A4 ‡b E4 1962, .T5	G 3828 .A4 E4 1962 .T5
G1417.W54P53 ‡b N3 1981	G1417.W54 ‡b P53 N3,1981G	G 1417 .W54 P53 N3 1981
G3804.N4P2 svar ‡b .F4	G3804.N4P2 ‡b svar, .F4	G 3804 .N4 P2 svar .F4

Map call numbers that contain a colon (e.g., G6713.F7:3G6P2 1976 ‡b .L5) cause zc cards. To produce cards with such call numbers, repeat the call number in field 099.

Map call numbers in LCMARC records may contain two spaces at the end of subfield ‡a . You should enter only one space at the end of subfield ‡a .

See LC's Class G schedule for more information.

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